A toothbrush that will make you grin...

Hello everyone, welcome to the first instalment of Eco-Every-Day! I want to keep these short and to the point, so lets dive straight into BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSHES.

The problem: Everyone, almost without exception, needs a toothbrush. This creates a lot of demand and a lot of supply. Most of us will replace around 300 toothbrushes during our lifetime and plastic toothbrushes take hundreds of years to fully break down. So, you do the maths.

Something I like to think about when trying to use less plastic is "how did it used to be done?", because plastics like we know them are a relatively modern solution (and now ironically a problem). Humans have been surviving thousands of years without plastics. But seeing as no one fancies going back to animal bone and boar hair anytime soon, we need a different solution.

The solution: Bamboo is looking like a strong contender in the battle to replace a lot of hard plastics. It's strong like plastic, durable and 100% decomposable. Paired with the new age bio-based, BPA-free soft bristles, the bamboo toothbrush matches the ultimate goal of being 100% recyclable.

One of the things that make us less inclined to go for the greener option, is that alternatives are often not as good as the original. This is not the case with bamboo toothbrushes. I can say from first hand experience that they are indifferent in performance and feeling when using one of these over a traditional plastic one.

What you can do: I'm now on my second bamboo toothbrush and it's the new normal. You have two options: buy a new one as when you need one (a lot of regular shops stock them now); or have a subscription based renewal for your toothbrushes that get delivered to your door. I recently read some facts about how much bacteria our toothbrushes build up in a surprisingly short amount of time, which has encouraged me to switch mine out more regularly - and now guilt free because bamboo are recyclable! 

I tried out "Brush Box" which is a UK based subscription based or one off purchase service. The brushes are sturdy, good looking and have colour options. I bought one for my girlfriend too and I have now converted her as well as my parents to using one. These solutions spread by word of mouth, so tell people about this! I myself get a new toothbrush in my Christmas stocking every year, so you could stick one at the bottom of one of family members to surprise them with an eco-friendly and practical gift this year. Brushbox will often have some sort of deal on, so wait until the price is right and shoot! 

Beware when trying to buy eco friendly products. Try and look at the full scope of things, not just the end result, i.e. manufacturing carbon footprint, animal friendly, transport carbon footprint, legality, and eco-friendly packaging!

Useful links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/eco_day

BrushBox (UK): https://www.brushbox.com

The Bam and Boo (US): https://thebamandboo.com/products/bamboo-toothbrush-subscription

Greenpeace Toothbrush Information: https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/7281/every-single-piece-of-plastic-ever-made-still-exists-heres-the-story/